LAST SUMMER JACK Guiney’s stoppage-time goal brought Wexford to extra-time against Clare in a classic in Semple Stadium.
Wexford trailed by six points with less than fifteen minutes remaining in last year’s qualifier game, but despite the heroics and momentum they would be outscored 3-7 to 0-3 in extra-time.
“I think the game was in limbo there for a while,” explains Guiney who scored 1-8 in that game.
“I think a few lads looked around and said ‘Jesus are we going to lie down and die here or put up some sort of a fight’.
“Then we got a bit of a momentum going and Conor McDonald came on and scored a great point and our half-back line started cleaning up. Clare did take their foot off the peddle but I think it was just a general – ‘are we going to stand up and take back a bit of dignity’. Because yes at one stage Clare were running away with it.”
Central to last year’s defeat was the loss of full-back Tomás Waters after 64 minutes to a very serious knee injury, one which still rules him out of hurling.
“I know there was a lot of talk about it last year but Tomás Waters was a massive loss as he was the focal point of our defence. There’s not too many lads who will run out past Tomás and not come out without a bruise. We didn’t have Matt O’Hanlon last year at all and the bench we have this year wasn’t there.”
“A couple of lads did get injured in extra-time; Bobby Kenny got sent off. Eoin Moore cramped up. Lads weren’t able to stay with them. We could stay with them for 70 minutes but the last 20 they blew us out of the water.
“We were saying that looking at our transition over the years we stayed with Cork in the qualifiers for about 40-45 minutes because our fitness levels weren’t up to scratch, and then last year we stayed with Clare for 70 minutes and Dublin for 70 minutes.
“This year is supposed to be where we take the step and beat one of these big teams. We are not waiting for it to happen, we are gearing towards it happening.”
Guiney was hopeful that big performance would come in last month’s Leinster semi-final with Dublin, but instead his team were comfortably beaten by five points.
“There was a big hype, if you had of walked the town the day of the match all the streets were packed with Wexford jerseys so there was a big buzz. In the end Dublin’s experience shone through and they did the right things at the right time.
“We met up after the game, had a chat and said we wanted one of the big teams; the biggest team we could get in the draw. We got Clare so we are absolutely delighted. It makes our job tougher but we are delighted to have the challenge. It’s what everyone in the set-up wants.”
“In the last few years, no disrespect to Carlow or Westmeath, but that hasn’t done much for our standard of hurling so obviously we have to up our game and go in with a new level of intensity against Clare. Hopefully we can pull one out of the bag.”
